Edmonton: Lucky 97

Food prices are expensive in Alberta..and one way around that is Lucky 97 supermarket. It's an Asian supermarket in Chinatown (97th street and about 106th Ave).

When you arrive at Lucky 97, you'll immediately discover that there are not enough parking spaces for all the customers. The parking lot is a sea of people that just stop or park sideways or come up with more creative ways to stick their car in a corner and hope it doesn't get towed. Even around the back you'll find most of the spots are taken. I tend to park on the side streets but they are very narrow and in winter have huge snow ruts in them. I'd advise you to lock your doors and keep valuable out of site. The area is populated by some pretty ghetto looking characters..absolutely none of them Chinese.

Inside Lucky 97, you'll experience what you find in most Asian markets. It's small and it's very crowded. Just walking down the aisle is somewhat frustrating with all the people scattered around you. The store has a great selection of fresh fruit and veggies and it's one of the only places in Edmonton where you can find good veggies in winter. It's also one of the only places I've found stuff like Bok Choy & other Asian foods without paying double the price at Sobey's.

Lucky 97 has a huge seafood department, a big meat department (very busy) and has a take out style deli/restaurant. I'm a big fan of genuine Chinese food and this place is a deal. $4.50 for 3 choices in a combo..that's a price that's unheard of in Alberta. You'll pay double that pretty much everywhere else.

The store has a good choice of pretty much everything, but if you're expecting the aesthetically pleasing atmosphere of Safeway or Sobey's you aren't about to find it. There is no 80's music playing on the speakers and the aisles are packed with merchandise stacked up as high as it can go. For "fresh food" the prices can't be beat but be prepared to to endure a long line and huge crowds on weekends.

The store caters to Asians but you'll find the odd white person shopping there, perhaps looking to save money. The day I walked toward the store, some bum came running at me saying "You're the first white guy I've seen all day, can you spare some change". Did he think that by saying that I'd hand over some money ?

This area of Edmonton can only be described as a run down shit hole, but it has some incredibly interesting shops & it's unique in the city. It's unfortunate for the vendors & for the area that it's in such a lousy neighborhood. It's also an amusing paradox. We often here people bitching that "immigrants" are lazy, good for nothing scum that just live off government handouts. Chinatown is exactly the opposite....the business owners are all Chinese and the addicts & bums in the neighborhood are all white.

If you do visit this place, try weekends mid day. It will be busy and somewhat frustrating but it's worth it. The area is very seedy and outright dangerous at night..and it's very empty